Safety container

ABSTRACT

A safety container comprising a bottom member and a lid member where the lid member has a plurality of inward projections that fit into corresponding detents in the bottom member so that the lid member may be snapped into position on the bottom member in such a way where the forces required to disengage the projections from the detents are sufficiently large to protect against unauthorized access by young minors but sufficiently small to permit opening by adult users with diminished strength or dexterity.

BACKGROUND

The embodiments herein relate generally to a safety cap for a container,and more specifically to embodiments that simplify the application of asafety lid to a corresponding container, for example a medicine bottle,with features that reduce the strength and stress needed to open andclose the bottle.

For decades efforts have been made to provide containers with“child-proof” features that limit the undesired access to containercontents by unauthorized minors. In that regard, the prior art is aboundin a variety of embodiments designed to address this issue; too many toaddress in the background section. Nonetheless, with one category ofsuch safety containers, a great deal of manual force is required toremove the lid and access the contents. For those who need access butwhose dexterity has become or is quite limited, or where diminishedstrength precludes the ability to open the lid easily, these prior artsafety containers pose the problem of limited usefulness. In anothercategory of safety containers, the mechanism built into the lid and/orthe bottle is so complicated that it is not economical to manufacture.

For that reason, a better system is needed to provide a more easilyaccessible container for use by those with diminished strength and/ordexterity, a container that is not so complicated that it cannot bemanufactured economically, and yet still achieves the overall goal ofpreventing access by unauthorized minors. Embodiments of the presentinvention provide a better system.

SUMMARY

In embodiments of the present invention a safety container is providedfor limiting access to the contents therein while facilitating entry forthose with diminished strength and/or dexterity. In one embodiment, thecontainer comprises a bottom member for storing contents within aninterior therein, and a lid member for engaging the bottom member in asecure, but removable, manner.

In one embodiment, the container bottom member comprises an upper walland a lower wall, where the bottom member is configured to storecontents within an interior accessible by an opening in the upper wallof the bottom member. If so desired, the upper wall of the bottom membermay be tapered.

The bottom member preferably comprises a plurality of detents positionedradially about an outer periphery of the lower wall of the bottommember. The lid member comprises a plurality of protrusions positionedradially about in inner surface of the lid member, where the protrusionsare and configured to snap into corresponding position within thedetents of the bottom member when the lid is positioned in anappropriate radial position relative to the bottom member.

In another embodiment, the safety container comprising guides fordirecting a lid protrusion into a corresponding bottom member detent. Inother embodiments, the detent comprises a raised surface that has afirst end that is configured outwardly of the outer surface of thebottom member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The detailed description of some embodiments of the invention will be ismade below with reference to the accompanying figures.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectioned schematic view from arrows A-A of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS

By way of example, and referring to FIGS. 1 and 1A, one embodiment ofthe inventive safety container 10 comprises a lid member 12 and a bottommember 14 for limiting access to the contents within the container 10while facilitating entry for those with diminished strength and/ordexterity. The bottom member 14 is configured for storing contentswithin an interior therein, and comprises a radial top surface 16defining an opening into the interior of the bottom member 14.

The bottom member comprises an upper wall 18 and a lower wall 20. Insome embodiments, the upper wall 18 may be tapered inwardly. Preferably,the bottom member 14 comprises a detent 22 that may be positioned in thelower wall 20 of the bottom member. The detent 22 comprises a raisedsurface 26 that has a first end 28 that projects outwardly from theouter surface 30 of the bottom member 14. The other end of the raisedsurface 26 is preferably flush with, or is closely above or below theouter surface of upper wall 18. The raised surface may be anyconfiguration that serves to push protrusions 32 on the inside of thelid member 12 outwardly and snugly against the raised surface 26 to thendrop into detent 22 when the lid member 12 is pushed sufficientlydownwardly over the upper wall 18 of the bottom member 14. In oneembodiment, the lid member 12 comprises five protrusions 32 spacedappropriately, if not symmetrically, about the interior surface of thelid member 12. Likewise, five raised surfaces 26 are provided on thebottom member 14 at corresponding positions. More or less protrusionsand raised surfaces may be used. If desired, one or more guide walls 34may be placed on either side of each raised surface 26 to guide theprotrusions 32 cleanly into detent 22.

Preferably the lid member further comprises a resilient 0-ring or washer36 comprising rubber or soft plastic or another like resilient material,where the washer 36 is secured to the upper interior of the lid member12. Because of its resilience, the lid member 12 may be compressed uponthe top surface 16 of the bottom member 14. When dimensionedappropriately, when washer 36 is compressed upon top surface 16, theprotrusions 32 snap into position into detents 22 adjacent raisedsurfaces 26. The top surface 16 then impresses a reaction force againstthe lid member 12 to essentially lock the lid member into place on topof the bottom member 14. With a simple downward force upon the lidmember and rotated a small distance, using merely the palm of one'shand, for example, the protrusions 32 may be pushed clear of the raisedsurfaces 26 (and optional guide walls 34) along outer surface 30 so thatthe lid member 12 may be released from the bottom member 14.

It should be appreciated that the material chosen for the lid member maybe of one of many available materials that permit sufficient hardnessfor durability, but sufficient resilience to permits snap-fit engagementwith the bottom member and facile release. However, it is alsocontemplated that the lid member 12 may comprises a mechanical expansionfeature, such as corrugation 40, 42 in the lid member. In oneembodiment, the corrugation may comprises a plurality of slits 40provided in the wall of the lid member coupled with optionallyadditional material 42 that covers over the slits from the interiorand/or exterior of the lid member wall. The optional additional material42 may provide a desired barrier against moisture and/or air entrybetween the slits 40 while the slits are momentarily parted duringengagement and disengagement of the lid member from the bottom member.

Each of the embodiments described herein are illustrations of examplesof the present invention and are not intended to restrict the scope ofprotection afforded the invention. A person of ordinary skill in the artshould appreciate that variations in the configuration and materials arecontemplated by the present invention without limitation to the specificembodiments presented. For example, the container may be cylindrical ornon-cylindrical in shape. In other embodiments, there may be projectionsthat are positioned at different axial positions around the periphery ofthe bottom member, with projections also provided in different axialpositions corresponding to the location of the detents. In that regard,the scope of protection should be assessed based upon the appropriateconstruction of the claims as set forth below.

What is claimed is:
 1. A safety container for limiting access to thecontents therein yet facilitating entry for those with diminishedstrength and/or dexterity, the container comprising: a container bottommember comprising an upper wall and a lower wall, the bottom memberbeing configured to store contents within an interior accessible by anopening in the upper wall of the bottom member, the upper wallcomprising a radial top surface defining the opening, the bottom membercomprising a plurality of detents positioned radially about an outerperiphery of the lower wall of the bottom member, and a container lidmember for enclosing contents within the bottom member when securedthereto, the lid member comprising a plurality of protrusions positionedradially about in inner surface of the lid member and configured to snapinto corresponding position within the detents of the bottom member whenthe lid is positioned in an appropriate radial position relative to thebottom member.
 2. The safety container of claim 1, wherein the detentcomprises a raised surface that has a first end that extends outwardlyfrom the outer surface of the bottom member.
 3. The safety container ofclaim 1, further comprising guides for directing a lid protrusion into acorresponding bottom member detent.
 4. The safety container of claim 1,wherein the lid member further comprises a resilient washer positionedon the interior of the lid member.
 5. The safety container of claim 1,wherein the lid member further comprises means for permitting mechanicalexpansion of the lid member during engagement and/or disengagement ofthe lid member from the bottom member.
 6. The safety container of claim1, wherein the upper wall of the bottom member is tapered.